There are four important steps you need to follow in order to do your annual career inventory.
First, look at your current career today and ask yourself: Are you challenged? Are there possibilities for promotion in the future and are you well-positioned in terms of having an advocate internally who can help you with your career opportunities?
Next, look at your compensation. Think of it like you’re doing your taxes and look to see what you’ll earn this year and whether it’s competitive within the industry. If you don’t know that, you should do enough research to understand where your compensation is in terms of the range that is possible.
After that, look at your network. You’ll need to know who your mentors are, whether you’re effectively staying in touch with your network and whether you should add an association or change one association out for another one or attend different conferences. You need to pay strong attention to who your network is and whether you’re keeping that network well-informed and active.
“Make sure your network is strong and keep up with innovation.”
Lastly, assess current market trends and any changes and innovations occurring within your industry. Ask yourself if you’re competitive against those changes and innovations. Is there training you can do, skills you should acquire, or conferences you should attend to increase the number of skills you have? Over time, you need to remain competitive as things change.
If you have any questions about how to do your annual career inventory, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d love to help you.